Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala
Karkala, Oct 26: New revelations have emerged in the high-profile murder case of Balakrishna (44), from Marne village in Ajekar, Karkala taluk, with the involvement of his wife Prathima and her lover, Dilip Hegde. The two allegedly conspired to kill Balakrishna, suffocating him with a bedsheet in the early hours of October 20.
Balakrishna, who had recently returned to Ajekar after undergoing medical treatment in Karkala, Manipal, Mangaluru, and Bengaluru for a prolonged illness, was brought home on October 19 after his recovery. Around 3:30 am, his father, Sanjeeva, heard a noise and found Balakrishna unresponsive. By morning, a doctor from the local government hospital confirmed Balakrishna's death, prompting the family to suspect foul play and file a police complaint.
Prathima, who ran a beauty parlour in Ajekar and was active on Instagram, often created reels with her husband. During this time, she connected with Dilip Hegde from Karkala on Instagram. Their friendship soon escalated into an affair, and fearing that Balakrishna might become an obstacle, the pair reportedly plotted his murder.
Following their plan, Dilip allegedly supplied poison to Prathima, instructing her to gradually administer it to Balakrishna, which led to his worsening health. Ultimately, on October 20, Prathima invited Dilip to her home, where the two reportedly suffocated Balakrishna with a bedsheet, ending his life.
Both Prathima and Dilip are now in police custody as investigations continue.